Shipping pouch



March 22, 1960 R. E. SLAUGHT-ER SHIPPING POUCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1957 HTTOBNEXG.

March 22, 1960 R. E. SLAUGHTER SHIPPING POUCH Filed March 26, 1957 u lew fll BY. fIVVENTOR. I

SHIPPING POUCH Richard E. Slaughter, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignor to The Stearns & Foster Company, Lockland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application March 26, 1957, Serial No. 648,548

8 Claims. (Cl. 150--1) This invention relates to the packaging art, and it is directed in particular to a protective pouch, and a method of manufacturing the pouch, which has particular utility in the packaging of small, delicate parts for shipment in containers.

The pouch of this invention consists essentially of an elongated cushioning strip having a series of pockets into which parts to be packaged may be inserted. The pouch is so constructed that one or more of the longitudinal edges of the cushioning strip may be folded over the pockets to cover them, and then the pouch either rolled up or folded up for insertion into a shipping container such as a metal can, a wooden box or a carton. The parts within the pouch are entirely enclosed in cushioning material and each part is isolated in a pocket, such that all parts are fully protected from shocks etc. incident to the handling of. the container.

The invention also provides an economical method of manufacturing the pouch wherein automatic machinery may be utilized to turn out the pouches following produc- .tion line techniques in the form of continuous strips.

Heretofore, it has been the usual practice in the packagingof delicate parts to individually wrap each one of the parts within padding material and then to place the The padding employed has fore being wrapped in the padding material to protect them from being fouled by the fibers. I

The article of this invention obviates the necessity of individually wrapping the parts to be shipped and in addition it provides a single bundle when it is either rolled or folded up which may be placed into a shippingcontainer as a unit without the need for additional padding as has been required in the past. Furthermore, there is no need to wrap the parts with paper because they do not come into contact with fiberous materials in the pouch.

Another feature of the invention is that upon the opening of'the container the pouch may be removed as a unit, and then unrolled or unfolded to expose all of the packaged parts for use, presenting them in an orderly arrangement in which each part is contained in its individual pocket.

i The invention, therefore, provides a means of speeding up the initial packaging of the small parts; it provides a padded enclosure which may be inserted as a unit into a shipping container; it provides a means of maintaining an orderly arrangement of the parts after the shipping container has been opened; and, it fully protects all of the parts during shipment, isolating and cushioning each one such that the parts cannot come into contact with one another;

Other features of the invention will be readily apparent- 2,929,425 Patented Mar. 196( ice . 2 to those skilled in the art' from the following detailed description of the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shipping pouch made in accordance with the principles of the invention. In this view the pouch is shown laid out in fiat condition to receive the parts in the pockets, two such parts being shown in place. l

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the shipping pouch as it appears when it is being rolled up for insertion into a container.

Figure 3 is a perspective view showing the pouch in a metal can. i

Figure 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 1.

FigureS is a cross sectional view similar to Figure 4 showing a modified form of the pockets.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another modified form of the invention. I

Figure 7 is a'view similar to Figure 5 showing still another modification of the invention.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention which is disclosed in Figures .1 through 4 the pouch comprises a cushioning sandwich which consists of a backing 10 of creped Kraft paper, a lining 11 of creped Kraft paper and an intermediate layer of padding or cushioning 12. Preferably, the lining 11 is that type creped Kraft paper known in the trade as red neutral, grade A which is acetate coated on one side, the coated side being the side which comes into contact with the parts. backing or lining or both may be afiixed to the cushioning material by adhesive. It is preferred, however, that the backing only be so alfixed.

To the sandwich is affixed a strip 13 of creped Kraft paper which may be the same type as that used for the lining, and which (as shown) is first of all doubled to provide two thicknesses of material, then folded back on itself as shown at 14 in Figure 4, and then re-doubled back upon itself as shown at 15 in Figure 4. The assembly is then stitched on a conventional Zig-zagstitching I machine, the machine being set to first make a short line of stitching 16 parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pouch assembly to the left, as shown, of the doubled strip, then at right angles transversely of the strip along a line designated 17 to a point to the right (as shown) of the second doubled told 15, thence again turning at a right angle along a line 18 longitudinally of the pouch for a short distance, again turning at a right angle along a line 19 across the pouchto a point in alignment with the first line of stitching 16, from which point the pattern is repeated, zig-zagging back and forth across the doubled-over strip 13 the full length of the pouch. In this stitching operation the lines 16 and 18 are of equal length and it will be noted that two pockets 20 and21 are formed between each two of the adjacent transverse lines of stitching 17 and 19, the pockets being one on top of the other and opening toward the opposite side edges of the pouch. If desired, the line of stitching 16 and 18 may be rounded with respect to the transverse lines. The important consideration in the manufacture of the pouch of Figures 1 through 4 is that the pockets are formed by simply stitching back and forth across the pouch utilizing a conventional zig-zag stitching machine which makes a continuous line of stitching. This stitching not only forms and holds the pockets in shape, but it also holds the complete assembly together inasmuch as the stitiching as shown in Figures 4 passes through the strip, the lining, the cushion and the backing.

'In the embodiment of Figures 1 through 4 the pockets are rectangular, being designed to receive articles such as the turbine blades shown at 22-22. It will be apparent, however, that the rounding of the lines of stitching 16 and 18 would have no effect upon the sizes or shapes If desired, the

can .shown at 23 of Figure 3. "the sized can to be used, it may be seen that the rolled with the cotton padding in this instance.

"of parts such-as lenses.

of the pockets so that the stitching could be applied in a continuous S shape with the stitching machine moving back and forth along the transverse lines 17 and 19 at equally spaced points longitudinally of the pouch to provide the straight sided pockets. As shown, articles or parts such as the turbine blades may be inserted into thepockets from both sides, with one blade overlapping the other, but being separated by the creped Kraft paper of which the pockets are formed. After the pockets have been filled, the two longitudinal side edges of thepouch maybe folded in over the top of the articles within the pockets and then the entire assembly rolled up to form a bundle for insertion into a container such as the metal By properly selecting up pouch completely fills the can so that when the lid 24 is placed in position, the pouch prevents any relative movement of the parts, and hence fully protects them against shocks which might occur through the handling .of the can.

'In Figure a modification of'the pouch of Figure l is shown. In this case the pockets areformed from a single strip'fZS of creped Kraft material which is doubled over .only along its two longitudinal edges as shown at 26-26 and then stitched into placein the zigzag pattern shown in Figure 1. In this instance, however, both of the longitudinal lines 16 and 18 pass through the doubled- .over side edges of the strip 25 so that single pockets only are provided, the pockets opening alternately to opposite "sides of the strip.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figure 6 the padding itself is folded double before the pockets are formed. In this case a pad of felted cotton 27 is em- 'ployed, this pad or cushioning material being backed by a creped Kraft sheet 28. The padding and backing are doubled over as at 29. such that the upper edges 30 of the front part of the doubled-over pad is spaced downwardly, as shown, from the upper edge 31 of the back of the pad. In this case, the creped Kraft paper is doubled over as at 32 from the upper edge 30 at the front 7 of the pouch in order to reinforce the exposed edge. The

stitching again follows the squared continuous zig-zag "pattern providing a series of transverse lines of stitches; 33-63 which are connected alternately at their opposite ends by longitudinal lines of stitching 3434. As shown, "in Figure 6 the lines 3333 are equally spaced longitudinally of the pouch so that the pocket openings at 3535 are separated by closed areas which alternate with the pockets. A pouch of this type may be employed where it is desired to protect substantially long narrow delicate parts; because, it will be noted, that such parts placed in the individual pockets are separated from one another by an amount equal to the width of each individual pocket and hence they cannot come into contact with one another. 'It will also be noted that the parts are in contact of the pockets and then rolling the pouch longitudinally to make a substantially cylindrical bundle.

The modification of Figure 7 is substantially like that shown in Figure 6. However, in this case the transverse lines of stitching 33-33 are spaced from one another in y a: repetitive pattern to provide substantially wide pockets "with narrow separations between them. It will be noted that the lines of stitching 37 along the lower edges of the pockets are considerably longer than the longitudinal .lines of stitching 38 which are adjacent to the upper edge.

This type of pouch has particular utility in the shipment The pouch of Figure 7 may be rolled up for-shipment just as has been previously described for the embodiment of Figure 6.

'It will be readily apparent that, it is not neces ary t0 roll the pouches shown into a cylindrical form. If de sired, the rollmay be made fairly loose and then the bundle formed by hand into a rough rectangle to fit a rectangular box or carton. In addition the individual pockets may be first closed by folding over the flap or flaps and then the pouches laid out flat into a carton or box one on top of theother.

Having described my invention 1 claim:

1. A shipping pouch comprising an elongated rectangular pad having a lining on one face thereof, continuous stitching extending from one end of said pad to the other in a squared zig-zag pattern to provide a plurality of transverse lines of stitching joined by longitudinal'lines of stitching, said continuous stitching passing through the lining and pad and comprising the sole means of joining them, said stitching defining. a plurality of pockets opening alternately toward the opposite longitudinal side edges of the pad.

2. A shipping pouch comprising an elongated rectangular pad having'a lining on one face thereof, a strip of sheet material which isas .long as said pad but substantially narrower than said pad extending longitudinally of the lining, continuous stitching extendingfrom one end of said pad to the other in a squared zig-zag pattern to provide a plurality of transverse lines of stitching joined by longitudinal lines of stitching, said stitching passing through the strip, the lining and pad to join them and to define a plurality of pockets between the lining and strip opening alternately toward the opposite longitudinal side edges of the pad.

3. A shipping pouch comprising a rectangular pad, a strip of folded sheet material extending longitudinally of the pad and being spaced from one of the side edges thereof to provide at least one flap, continuous stitching extending from one end of said pad to the other and securing said strip to said pad, said stitching being in a repetitive zig-zag pattern to provide a plurality of lines of stitching extending transversely of the strip with connecting lines extending generally longitudinally of the pad to provide a plurality of pockets extending transversely of the strip and opening alternately toward opposite side edges thereof.

However, a

4. A shipping pouch comprising a rectangular pad con sisting of cushioning material sandwiched between two sheets of paper, a strip of sheet material extending longitudinally of thepad and being spaced from the side edges, a continuous line of stitching extending from one end of said pad to the other and securing said strip to said pad, said stitching being in a repetitive zig-zag pattern to provide a plurality of rows of stitching extending transversely of the strip and connecting rows extending generally longitudinally of the pad to provide a plurality of pockets between the strip and the pad opening alternately toward opposite side edges of the pad;

5. A shipping pouch comprising an elongated rectangular' pad, a strip of sheet material which is folded longitudinally and doubled upon itself, said strip extending longitudinally of said pad, and continuous stitching in the form of a repetitive zig-zag pattern which passes through the strip and the pad from one end to the other to hold them together and to providea plurality of double pockets which open to the side edges of the pad.

6. A shipping pouch comprising a cushioning pad of fibrous material, a backing of sheet material covering one face of said cushioning pad, a lining of sheet material covering the opposite face of said pad, a strip of sheet material extending the length of said pad and being spaced inwardly'from the opposite side edges thereof, a

continuous line of stitching extending from one'end of the pad to the other and passing through the strip, the lining, the pad and the backing to secure them together, and said stitching being in the'form of a repetitive zig-zag pattern which extends back and forth across the strip to provide pockets longitudinally of'the strip which open t n y to t opp e e edges of the pad.

7-. A shipping pouch comprising a pad of fibrous material, sheet material being fixed to said pad of fibrous material so as to cover one face of said pad, said pad being doubled to bring parts of the uncovered side thereof in contact with one another, and a continuous line of stitching passing through the doubled pad from one side to the other thereof and being arranged in a squared zig-zag pattern which extends longitudinally of the doubled pad. 7

8. A shipping pouch as set forth in claim 3 in which flaps are provided along both of the longitudinal edges of the pad, said flaps being sufficiently wide'so that upon folding them inwardly they meet along a mid-line of said strip closing the openings into the pockets and providing padding for the strip side of the pouch.

aeasnza References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Greves Mar. 15, Corfman Sept. 20, Livingston Mar. 3, Parkhurst Apr. 21, Swift July 6, English Nov. 20, Johnson June 17, Spangler et a1. Aug. 16, Hess May 8, Ashley Apr. 21, Kromer Mar. 8, Yerk Oct. 22, 

